xiii, 306 pages : 20 cm

From the Back Cover: Why is a black cat lucky? What is true origin of April Fools' Day? Why is it unlucky to walk under a ladder? We have all touched wood to ward off misfortune, or seen a bride throw a bouquet over her head at a wedding, but how often do we stop to think about where such customs come from, or why we still use them? The truth is that behind many of our daily rituals and beliefs lies a fascinating history of weird and wonderful notions, some rational, others fanciful, that provide a rich and entertaining addition to our lives. In this charming and endlessly diverting book, best-selling author Harry Oliver has delved into the stories behind our rich traditions to explain them to us with characters wit and flair, in a gem of a volume that will clear up any niggling doubts that you may have about our everyday beliefs. So before you search for any more four-leaf clovers, worry about the next Friday 13th or tell someone that chocolate will give them spots, dip into this amazing tome and discover the truth about out diverse beliefs so that next time your ear itches you'll know if someone's really talking about you!

Introduction -- 1: Arts and entertainment -- 2: Outdoor dangers -- 3: Actions and gestures -- 4: Around the home -- 5: Clothes and apparel -- 6: Animals -- 7: Body -- 8: Love and marriage -- 9: Food and drink -- 10: Sport and pastimes -- 11: Weather and natural occurrences -- 12: Birth -- 13: Death -- 14: Numbers, lucky and unlucky -- 15: Gifts -- 16: Celebrations and festivals -- 17: Days of the week -- 18: Predicting the future -- 19: Old wives' tales and pseudo-science -- 20: Flowers and trees -- 21: International talismans -- 22: Around the world

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews